Mattress Sizes

Buying a too-small mattress is one of the biggest mistakes new bed-buyers make. Couples who've been sleeping on a "double" since they got married may think they have enough room, until they learn that each person has only as much sleeping space as a baby's crib!

Twin Beds

Twin size mattress are 38 inches wide and approximately 74 inches long. Twin beds are designed for single children or adults. For those who are taller, twin mattresses also are available in extra long, which is 80 inches in length.

Full beds Sometimes still called "double," full beds are 53 inches wide, which is just 15 inches wider than a twin size (single). That leaves each partner only 27 inches of personal space, or about the width of a crib. Both twin and full sizes are approximately 75 inches long, which may be too short for some adults, especially men. Full bed Recommendations: A Full size bed is only enough space for a single sleeper and only if the person is under 5 feet 5 inches tall. Parents are increasingly choosing full size over twin for teenage bedrooms. Parents are even making this choice for younger children in to give themselves a more comfortable place to rest when reading together at tuck-in time.

Queen Beds

A queen bed is 60 inches wide by approximately 80 inches long – 6 inches wider and 5 inches longer than a full size mattress. These added inches can make all the difference in comfort, especially for couples, and have made the queen today's most popular mattress size. However, with 30 inches of personal space, each adult still has 9 inches less width than if they slept alone in a twin bed. Queen bed Recommendations: Queen size is a good choice for guest rooms, smaller master bedrooms and for couples who prefer close quarters. It's also a great choice for single sleepers who are also "sprawlers."

King Beds

These are 76 inches wide by approximately 80 inches long – about 18 inches wider than a queen. This is the closest a couple can come to having as much personal space (38 inches) as each would have on a twin bed. In fact, two twin extra-long beds pushed together are about the same size, an option that can offer a flexible arrangement for a guest room. For consumers on the west coast, there is also the "California King," which is 72 inches wide by 84 inches long – 4 inches narrower and 4 inches longer than a regular king.